There are two separate
story lines in this episode.
This episode starts with Uncle
Jr.'s continuing trial. It seems has found an out by
faking dementia. The only thing is, he's not really faking it.
It ends with the brightness of a new day after Tony finally takes care of
Ralph.
Uncle Jr. falls down the stairs
at the courthouse and is taken to the hospital. Tony decides to exploit
this and claim Uncle Jr. has dementia. If true it would cause a mistrial
or would lead to a dismissal of the case. However, although it's not
evident to Tony and Uncle Jr.'s associates his mental state is
diminished. When they started coaching Uncle Jr. on how to answer
questions at one point, they asked him what his name was. The look on his
face was one of complete confusion and a realization that he did not know how to
answer. Sometimes dementia happens so slowly that others fail to notice
until too late. It is like that with a lot of things that happen slowly.
Ralph's son (who I must say was
never mentioned before and is added to create a convenient storyline) was hurt
playing with a friend with arrows. Rosalie comes to the hospital and
Ralph apologies to her for not understanding what she was going through when
Jackie Jr. was killed. This is a true and wise statement. No one
knows what it is like when you lose someone. Even if they say they
understand, they don't. How can they? You can demonstrate sympathy
but it's really not a good idea to tell someone you understand what they are
going through. You do not. We are all too complex with different experiences
that it is impossible to understand.
Ralph goes to the priest.
He tells Ralph that God is merciful and there is a purpose to all things.
The priest talks about the suffering of Jesus on the cross. The priest
knows that Ralph is a mobster. Another "devil" and he quotes
from the song sympathy for the devil, "And I was 'round when Jesus Christ had his moment of doubt and pain".
Tony is forced comfort Ralph even
though he really shouldn't have to. It’s not a role Tony is good at. He
lacks empathy. Which is what makes him a good sociopath. Except
when it comes to animals. Tony's favorite horse, Pie-O-My has to be put
down after a terrible barn fire. Tony goes to Ralph to tell him and it is
apparent that Ralph arranged for the accident. When Tony asks Ralph right
out if he did Ralph wouldn’t look into Tony’s eyes. Tony figures Ralph was involved, and Tony
goes into a rage and a fight ensues with Tony eventually killing
Ralph.
Ralph’s death was a long time
coming. Tony has intolerance for harming
animals. Perhaps they remind him of his
children and their innocence. Maybe they
give him the love he feels he is missing from his children. Tony tried to connect with Anthony Jr. but he
ignores his father. It was an extremely
uncomfortable scene. At the end of this
episode Tony is at the Bada-Bing after a night of cleaning up after disposing
of Ralph. Before he walks out, he sees a
picture of the young woman that Ralph killed because she was pregnant with his
child. Another lost, innocent victim.
Tony walks out to a new day…
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